WISCREPORT.COM (09/03/2010) - U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano has launched a collaboration with Southern Shield, a consortium of state homeland security and law enforcement officials from 14 Southeastern states and territories. It is part of the national Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative, as well as the expansion of the If You See Something, Say Something campaign to fusion centers across the Southeast. Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (09/01/2010) - One of the larger employers in Milwaukee, a world-wide small engine manufacturing giant, is using a legal manuever to try to raise money to retire a 203.5 million dollar debt. Briggs and Stratton Corporation has filed what is called a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The statement allows the company to offer and sell debt securities to pay off the Senior Notes that become due in March of 2011. Click on the headline above for more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (08/09/2010) - The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has partnered with StumbleUpon.com to target potential customers and increase the virality of advertising campaigns. To gain the upper hand in the longstanding debate over which state has the best cheese, the board chose StumbleUpon's ad platform to promote its fun and interactive consumer site, GrilledCheeseAcademy.com. Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (07/15/2010) - Initiatives important to Wisconsin agriculture, rural development and nutrition are part of the Agriculture Appropriations bill set to go before the United States Senate for approval. Click on the headline above to learn more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (07/10/2010) - Anyone dialing a phone number in what has strictly been the 715 Area until now in the northern part of Wisconsin must enter the full ten digit number starting Saturday, July 17, 2010. That's the date telephone companies switch so a second code number (534) can be dropped into the 715 area. To read more, click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/26/2010) - Farm Aid joined family farmers from across the country in Madison, Wisconsin, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) joint public workshop examining competition in the dairy industry. The workshop comes 18 months into an unprecedented crisis for dairy farmers. Low prices and high production costs, combined with a tightening credit market, have pushed thousands of family farmers out of business. Click on the headline above to read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/16/2010) - Large majorities of Americans feel they should be allowed to have guns, acccording to the latest Harris Poll findings. At the same time, many Americans favor stricter control of guns, particularly hand guns, although this number has decreased somewhat in the past few years. Most Republicans and Americans who own guns favor less strict laws controlling guns and hand-guns. Conversely, most Democrats and those who do not own guns favor stricter control of guns and hand guns. Click on the headline above for more details at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/15/2010) - Starting with July 17th it will be necessary to dial the area code along with the rest of the number you are calling in what used to be strictly the 715 Area Code. That's because the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has decided it is necessary to drop in a second Area Code due to projected exhaustion of available new numbers in what has been the 715 Area Code. So, beginning July 17th all new numbers issued will have the 534 Area Code, even though the numbers issued will be in the former lone 715 Area. Confused? Click on the headline above to read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (06/11/2010) - The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary is urging everyone in Wisconsin to join in with other citizens of the USA to show the United States flag on Flag Day 2010. Flag Day will be observed Monday, June 14th. Flag Day started in 1916 with a presidential proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson to commemorate the date on which the Second Continental Congress voted to adopt the flag of the United States in 1777. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner. Click on the headline above for more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/24/2010) - Starting June 1st it will be mandatory to carry automobile insurance in Wisconsin. Drivers who fail to qualify can be fined up to 500 dollars. Forty-eight other states already require that drivers carry automobile insurance. After June 1, 2010, only New Hampshire will not require that all drivers take the responsible action of carrying insurance. Meanwhile, the Immediate Past President of the College Republicans of Wisconsin has renounced her party membership and joined the Democratic Party. To read more at WisconsinReport.com click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (05/17/2010) - Many professionals who study the banking industry have been saying that the trend is that banks eventually will not be offering free checking as one of their services. But, according to a Bankrate, Inc. report, banking consumers can turn to Credit Unions for free checking. The Bankrate study of 50 of the largest Credit Unions in the United States shows that 78 percent of them provide free checking accounts. And, most Credit Unions do not require a minimum balance, nor do they charge a monthly fee. To read more at WisconsinReport.com click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (05/14/2010) - The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) is seeking public comment on the proposed wind siting rules, issued today by the PSC. The proposed rules will ultimately result in uniform wind siting standards for local units of government in Wisconsin and ensure consistent local procedures for regulation of wind energy systems. Any person may submit written comments on these proposed rules. Comments on the proposed rules will be accepted until July 7, 2010, at noon (July 6, 2010, at noon, if filed by fax). More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/30/2010) - Governor Jim Doyle has signed into law Senate Bill 484, the BadgerCare Plus Basic Bill. This bill creates a new, entirely self-funded health care plan option for nearly 43,000 adults without dependent children who are on the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan waiting list. For 130 dollars a month, people enrolled in BadgerCare Plus Basic will be able to go see a doctor, get the generic prescriptions they need, and receive catastrophic coverage, without costing taxpayers a dime. Click on the headline above to read more about this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/20/2010) - This morning at the Capitol in Madison, a group of the largest businesses in Wisconsin, labor unions, farm organizations and other groups called for passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act being considered by the state legislature. The groups are among nearly 300 businesses, labor unions and other organizations that are supporting the legislation. As the legislature considers the Clean Energy Jobs Act, citizens from across Wisconsin have created short videos to show why Wisconsin should pursue a clean energy future. For more click on the headline to go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/19/2010) - The Wisconsin Farmers Union is urging the Wisconsin legislature to pass legislation that will create jobs in the state, boost farms and support a foundation for clean energy. The Wisconsin Clean Energy Jobs Act is scheduled for a vote in the state Assembly Tuesday. A Wisconsin Public Service Commission study shows that there would likely be a 1.4 Billion dollar savings for the state if the legislation is enacted, contrary to what opponents of the bill have been saying, according to a Farmers Union spokesperson. For more at WisconsinReport.com click on the headline above. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/12/2010) - The Wisconsin Business Council is lauding a new report by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue that showed the state and local tax burden at its lowest level since 1961 in a ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Wisconsin ranked 15th in state and local taxes per $1,000 of personal income and 21st per capita, the lowest ranking for Wisconsin since its general sales tax was adopted nearly 50 years ago. For more information about this story and more see WisconsinReport.com on the internet. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (04/06/2010) - The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation says average prices on food items that the Bureau tracks as the Market Basket Survey, did not rise too much during the first quarter of 2010. However, there was a continuous upward trend in the overall average cost of the 20 items tracked. Compared to the last quarter of 2009, the total for the food items rose nearly a dollar and a half to almost 53 dollars. The largest single percent price increase was on sugar, attributed to conditions in the world market. Read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/23/2010) - President Barack Obama has signed the Senate Health Reform bill into law, making good on a campaign promise that helped him get elected. The road to signing day was bumpy, slow and frustrating over more than a year since President Obama was sworn into office in January of 2009. Several provisions in the new law came from Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin. As President Obama was signing the bill, Attorneys General from more than a dozen states were filing lawsuits challenging the new law, and Washington D.C. Republicans have vowed to repeal it. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (03/22/2010) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Senate Health Care Reform bill 219-212 during a special weekend session in Washington D.C. They did so while also passing a separate House bill that fixes some of the things some people thought should not be included in the law. The original Senate bill now goes to President Obama for his signature, however, the Fixes now go to the Senate for approval. So Health Care Reform issues are not completely settled just yet. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/19/2010) - Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection Secretary Rod Nilsestuen is applauding the announcement that China has reopened its markets to pork and pork products from the U.S. almost a year after slamming the door shut in the wake of the H1N1 scare. Meanwhile, a resolution is to be introduced on the U.S. House floor to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and recognizing the efforts of former Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson who made Earth Day possible. Earth Day will be held April 22nd this year. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/15/2010) - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is helping to spread the word about an unusually high number of complaints to the Social Security Administration from Wisconsin residents about phishing phone calls. The department is reminding people that the Social Security Department does not ask for Social Security numbers over the phone. Real Social Security workers have access to that information if they need it without asking for it. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/19/2010) - Flambeau River Biofuels (FRB) has executed a letter of intent to engineer, procure, and construct (EPC) the largest second generation green diesel plant in the United States at an existing pulp and paper mill in Park Falls, Wisconsin. The $250 million project, funded in part with a grant from the U.S. Dept of Energy, is expected to be fully operational by 2013. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/14/2010) - People in the United States and in countries around the world are looking to assist in the recent earthquake disaster in Haiti. Many are unable to actively go to the country to help in digging out citizens from under the rubble of the buildings, but money and goods are needed to help survivors cope with being without lodging, food, water, and other basic needs. InterAction has a list of member organizations online that accept donations. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/11/2010) - Wisconsin dairy farmers will be well represented on the newly formed Dairy Industry Advisory Committee, formed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. DATCP Secretary Rod Nilsestuen will join three other dairy leaders from the state on this 17-member group. According to USDA, over the next two years, the committee will review the issues of farm milk price volatility, dairy farmer profitability and consolidation, and offer suggestions on ways USDA can best address the needs of a struggling dairy industry. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/24/2009) - The U.S. Senate passed the Senate version of the so-called Health Care Reform early in the morning on Christmas eve, as Democrats hoped. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) says the Senate bill is far from perfect, but, it includes important provisions for Wisconsin. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) explains that the Senate version begins the process of cutting health care costs and hopes the finalized Senate - House compromise bill will reach President Obama for his signature in January. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/30/2009) - While the federal Cash For Clunkers program grabbed headlines earlier this year, another U.S. government program still in effect can help put money in the pockets of new-car buyers who act before the end of 2009. The Wisconsin Automobile and Truck Dealers Association is reminding people that the tax break for buying a new car is due to expire at end of year. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/27/2009) - State Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released October 2009 local unemployment rate estimates for Wisconsin cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. The unemployment rate decreased in 27 of 72 Wisconsin counties in October and remained the same in 10, compared to September 2009, but remains up for the year, statewide. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/10/2009) - Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate is disappointed with the votes of some Congressional Representatives from Wisconsin in the U.S. House last Saturday. Tate says the votes of Congressmen Tom Petri (R-WI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) against the Affordable Health Care for America Act highlights the growing divide between their stance on the issues and what their constituents want. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/07/2009) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that the New Direction that Democrats have been promising the country will be manifested today by passage of the Health Care Reform that Congress has been spending so much time and effort on. She made the comments at a news conference today following a Democratic Whip meeting with President Obama in the Cannon Caucus Room. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/19/2009) - The Teamsters Union is launching a national campaign to fight against the destruction of the carhaul industry by bailed-out auto giants General Motors and Chrysler. The automakers received bailouts from taxpayers earlier this year, but are now demanding dramatic cost cuts from Teamster-represented carhaul companies, threatening hundreds of jobs. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/02/2009/) - Governor Jim Doyle announced today the state submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for federal funds to develop a $651.8 million high-speed passenger rail line between Milwaukee and Madison. It is estimated that the project could create 13,000 jobs by the year 2013. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/01/2009) - Hundreds of Saturn brand automobile employees will be losing their jobs following the General Motors (GM) announcement that the deal to purchase Saturn by the Penske Automotive Group has fallen through. GM President Fritz Henderson says a wind down process will be made available soon. In the meantime, Saturn vehicles can still be purchased and serviced at current dealerships. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/30/2009) - The Senate Finance Committee yesterday first failed to include a public health insurance option plan offered by Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV), and later another similar plan offered by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during consideration of the committee health care reform proposal. Some Democrats, including Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, say the issue is not completely at an end. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/12/2009) - The State of Wisconsin has formed a task force to look into possible Wisconsin Shares fraud among childcare providers. The Wisconsin Shares Task Force is a state, local, and federal law enforcement collaborative that is designed to aggressively investigate possible abuses within the Wisconsin Shares Program. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/10/2009) - The September 9th health care reform speech by President Barack Obama before a joint session of the U.S. Senate and House Of Representatives has been received well by many Obama supporters, however, others are not completely satisfied. Read about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/27/2009) - The Wisconsin job picture continues to stabilize, but the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS) is saying the recession impact is far from over. The latest Wisconsin Job Watch from COWS shows a continued slowing in the rate of job loss in Wisconsin, according to July 2009 data. However, Wisconsin has 137,000 fewer jobs than when the so-called recession started in December of 2007. Even though the situation may be slowing down, the Wisconsin unemployment rate remains at highs not seen since the 1980s. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/18/2009) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has announced that he will not seek a third term as Governor. Governor Doyle says he has decided to limit himself to two terms and is ready to go to accomplish as much as possible during his second and final term. Doyle's Republican opponents are suggesting that a self-imposed term limit has nothing to do with Doyle's decision not to seek a third term. The Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair says low approval ratings, a budget mess and embarassing stories may be the real reasons Doyle is quitting after his second term, but supporters disagree. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/07/2009) - Washington D.C. has extended the Cash For Clunkers program which has been more successful than originally anticipated. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold says the program has been a boost to local economies, and is pleased to see it continue. Feingold, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also says he was pleased to vote to approve the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the next Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. Feingold also approves of the cooperative nature of agencies looking into possible anti-competetive practices hampering some parts of the dairy industry. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/03/2009) - Wisconsin and Minnesota cooperatives are applauding what they call the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack decision to raise dairy price supports through the Dairy Product Price Support Program during a time of near-record low dairy prices. Wisconsin and Minnesota dairy cooperatives handle more than 85 percent of the milk produced in the two states. Cooperative Network President and CEO Bill Oemichen says this extra financial support at a very difficult time is greatly needed, and is greatly appreciated, by the Upper Midwest dairy industry. Read more on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/27/2009) - At least half the adults in every county in Wisconsin are either overweight or obese, according to a recent state report. The new Department of Health Services report, Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity in Wisconsin, indicates that the obesity rate for adults in the state has more than doubled since 1990, reflecting a nationwide trend. Wisconsin Department of Health Secretary Karen Timberlake says residents of the state, as well as teachers, parents, businesses, and government employees, have a stake in turning the trend around. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/21/2009) - Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. (D-WI) says the proposed health care legislation will take us closer to our goal of guaranteeing access to affordable care for all of us. According to a report released today by Families USA, 233,000 people in Wisconsin will gain health care coverage under the American Affordable Health Choices Act by 2013 and 375,000 by 2019. Kagen will join doctors and nurses today from across the country in support of reforms included in the American Affordable Health Choices Act. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/15/2009) - The newly created Chrysler Group LLC will continue production of the legendary Dodge Viper SRT10. Originally slated to cease production in December 2009, the Chrysler Group Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, the exclusive home of Dodge Viper production since 1995, will continue to build the V-10 powered sports car. Chrysler Group is no longer pursuing a sale of the Viper business assets. Chrysler Group LLC is a combination of the old Chrysler company and Fiat. Read all about the Dodge Viper and the new Chrysler company at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/10/2009) - The new General Motors Company began operations today with a new corporate structure, a stronger balance sheet, and a renewed commitment to make the customer the center of everything the new GM does. Created from the old GM's strongest operations in an asset sale approved by the bankruptcy court on July 5, the new GM is built on four core brands in the U.S. and the largest, strongest dealer network in the country. GM also has moved aggressively to develop a full range of energy-saving technologies, including advanced internal combustion engines, biofuels, fuel cells, and hybrids. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/08/2009) - Has it been seeming that every time you go to the supermarket you come away with less for the same amount of money that you spent the week before? Well, it may be a surprise that Wisconsin second quarter 2009 retail food prices fell just over 4-percent from the first quarter of 2009. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Market Basket quarterly survey found the average cost of 20 basic food items totaled $53.40 in the second quarter of 2009. That is a $2.45 decrease from the survey average price of $55.85 in the first quarter of 2009. Read all about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/07/2009) - American Transmission Company, a leader in the planning, construction and operation of transmission infrastructure, has identified various new high-voltage transmission line projects that can help deliver renewable energy while also addressing reliability issues in the Midwest. Since formed in 2001, ATC has invested more than $2 billion to build or upgrade 1,700 miles of transmission lines including the 220-mile interstate Arrowhead-Weston line, which runs from Wausau, Wisconsin to Duluth, Minnesota. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/23/2009) - Dangerously hot, muggy weather predicted for the Summer Months is prompting Wisconsin humane veterinarians to remind owners of pets and livestock to take a little extra care to protect their animals. Heat stroke is one of the very real threat to animals, and can be fatal even with prompt treatment. Pets that have already suffered heat stroke once are more susceptible, as are animals that are very young or very old, have health problems, are overweight, or are snub-nosed. Read more about this and other stories on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/18/2009) - The Wisconsin State Senate has passed a biennial budget bill for 2009-2011. As usual, there are misgivings by Republicans that majority party Senate Democrats were able to get the budget passed. However, Majority Leader Russ Decker says the version passed has no general sales or payroll tax increases, yet, it still protects working families, schools, and police and fire services from cuts. Another provision invests in highways, airports, bridges and harbors, and is expected to create about 10,000 jobs. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/12/2009) - At a health care town hall meeting in Green Bay thursday, President Barack Obama strongly advocated the inclusion of a public health insurance option in the health care reform proposal currently being crafted in Congress. The forum kicked off the public campaign for fundamental health care reform. President Obama criticized opponents who are saying he is promoting socialized medicine, saying the government would not be taking over healthcare, but, providing options for gaining access to healthcare. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/02/2009) - One of the icons of the automobile industry and of corporate America in general, General Motors (GM) yesterday entered into bankruptcy. It's part of the overall plan to save the company from leaving the stage entirely. GM entered chapter 11 to launch the New GM through the powerful tools of the Bankruptcy Code. GM has followed Chrysler LLC in filing for reorganization under the bankruptcy codes. Chrysler filed last month. Both companies are hoping to be leaner, focused and more competitive as a result of their actions. If you have questions about the developments, read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/27/2009) - The World Health Organization says, as of 06:00 GMT, 27 May 2009, 48 countries have officially reported 13,398 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 95 deaths. The largest number of cases seem to be in the United States at this point. The United States has reported 6764, and only 10 deaths. However, the percentage of deaths in relationship to cases reported is still in Mexico. Mexico has reported 4541 cases and 83 deaths. Read more about the latest so-called Swine Flu news at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/22/2009) - In honor of Memorial Day, a United States Congressional Representative from Wisconsin has proposed federal law aimed at helping military personnel, students and veterans. Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) Thursday introduced bipartisan legislation called the Service Member Home Ownership Act and the Help Student Soldiers Act to provide housing and education benefits to service members. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/20/2009) - State Representative Joe Parisi (D-Madison) and Senator Pat Kreitlow (D) Chippewa Falls) announced today they will be introducing a bill designed to protect the right of a journalist to keep sources and material gathered during the reporting process confidential. The legislation, which is currently being circulated for co-sponsors, is called the Whistleblower Protection Act, and has already been passed by 32 other states in some form. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/16/2009) - General Motors plans to reduce its dealer network from 5,969 stores to approximately 3,600 by the end of 2010. This process started yesterday (Friday, May 15, 2009), as GM began contacting dealers regarding its long term planning. 1,100 small sales volume U.S. dealers are being advised that GM does not see them as part of its dealer network on a long-term basis. In most cases, existing franchise agreements run through October of 2010. Read more about the GM dealer reduction plan at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/15/2009) - The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) H1N1 influenza (Swine Flu) statistics now show that only four states do not yet have confirmed or probable cases of the illness. At this writing, only Alaska, Wyoming, Mississippi and West Virginia have that distinction. In the midwest, the CDC indicates that there are 613 cases in Wisconsin, 36 in Minnesota, 638 in Illinois, 66 in Iowa, 71 in Indiana, 14 in Ohio, and 142 in Michigan. The CDC stats show a total of 4,714 confirmed or probable cases and only 4 deaths. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/13/2009) - Several members of the United States House of Representatives, including Ron Kind of Wisconsin, have re-introduced the Small Business Options Program Act (SHOP). SHOP, if passed, would make health insurance more available and affordable for small businesses and their employees. The bill is endorsed by several business, employee, and family groups and organizations. Read more about SHOP on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/11/2009) - Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, has filed a request with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to adjust its retail electric and natural gas rates, effective January 1, 2010. The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has grave concerns for the ratepayers. CUB says many families are already having a hard time paying their utility bills. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/09/2009) - A public health emergency remains in effect in Wisconsin in response to the presence of Influenza A (H1N1) in the state. Wisconsin now has 298 Confirmed Cases of H1N1 (Swine Flu), according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDH). The increase in confirmed cases from May 6th to May 8th reflects new testing capability in Wisconsin. Read more about this story and others at WisconsinReport.com, the place to depend on for Relevant Reading. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/07/2009) - As of 06:00 GMT, 7 May 2009, 23 countries have officially reported 2099 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Mexico has reported 1112 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 42 deaths. The United States has reported 642 laboratory confirmed human cases, including two deaths. The latest Wisconsin figures released as of mid-day today, show 176 probable cases in the state, however, only 26 have been confirmed as the so-called Swine Flu. Read more on this story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/06/2009) - May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Wisconsin. The warmer weather is bringing out motorcycles again, and it's time to be a little more careful while driving a vehicle. Car, truck and van drivers should become more aware of what is coming down the road before starting out from stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights, exiting driveways, and parking spaces. Read more about motorcycling and driver safety at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/05/2009) - U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Richard Besser have announced new CDC guidance on closure of schools and child care facilities where there has been reported cases of the novel H1N1 flu virus. CDC no longer recommends that communities with a laboratory-confirmed case of influenza A/H1N1 consider adopting school dismissal or childcare closure measures. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/04/2009) - At least 20 countries, including the United States have now officially reported 985 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection (often referred to as the Swine Flu), according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Mexico has reported 590 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. WHO notes that the United States has reported 226 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. More on the situation at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/03/2009) - Wisconsin has made it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tally of so-called Swine Flu cases in the United States. The CDC shows 226 cases in the nation as of mid-morning today, including three cases in Wisconsin. The Center says the total in the official total posted includes Laboratory Confirmed Cases of the illness. There are now cases in 30 states with the largest numbers still in New York and Texas. Read more in the updated story at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/2/2009) - The Wisconsin Department of Health (WDH) tally of Probable Swine Flu (H1N1) Cases now has risen to at least 14, however, as of mid-morning today none of them have shown up in the official U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) statistics. Excluding Wisconsin, the CDC how reports 160 laboratory confirmed cases of people suffering from the flu strain that is, at this time, believed to have broken out in Mexico. The CDC figures now include cases in 21 states. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/01/2009) - As of mid-morning today the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports 141 Swine Flu cases (H1N1) have been confirmed in 19 of the country's 50 states. However, there still has been only one death in Texas that has been attributed to the strain of flu virus that has caused illness in a large number of people in Mexico. So far Wisconsin seems to be spared from the CDC statistics, but there is news today that there may be two cases in Milwaukee. Meanwhile the ACLU has issued a caution. More information is on the internet at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/01/2009) - State and local health officials in Wisconsin today reported that five probable cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus of swine origin (Swine Flu) have been found in Wisconsin. Two cases were found in the Milwaukee (one adult and one child), a third case in Adams County, another in Osaukee County and a fifth case in Sheboygan County. State Health Officer, Dr. Seth Foldy, says these laboratory-proven cases indicate the flu is active in Wisconsin, and, Governor Jim Doyle has declared a State of Emergency. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/30/2009) - In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5 yesterday (April 29, 2009). Meanwhile, new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius cautions people not to panic. Sebelius reminds people there are flu outbreaks every year and everyear there are some flu deaths. She also says HHS and other agencies are doing everything possible to limit the seriousness of this particular flu outbreak. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/29/2009) - The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. The Centers for Disease Control reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation’s first fatality from this outbreak. The nearly two year old infant who died was reportedly a Mexican youth brought into this country for treatment. CDC statistics as of 10 AM Central Daylight Time (CDT) show 91 people have come down with the flu strain in the U.S. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/27/2009) - General Motors today presented an updated Viability Plan that will speed the reinvention of GM's U.S. operations into a leaner, more customer-focused, and more cost-competitive automaker. The new plan focuses on four core brands in the U.S. - Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC - with fewer nameplates and a more competitive level of marketing support per brand. The Pontiac brand will be phased out by the end of 2010. More details can be found inside the online pages of WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/27/2009) - Wisconsin Governor Doyle suggests everyone should remain calm and use common sense, good health practices, following the news regarding swine influenza, which has been reported in several states and in Mexico. Doyle says the Wisconsin government is in touch with health officials across the country and more information will be made available as needed to keep residents of the state up to date and aware of the situation. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/25/2009) - Retail food prices at the supermarket increased in the first quarter of 2008, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items in the first quarter of 2008 was $45.03, up about 8 percent or $3.42 from the fourth quarter of 2007. However, compared to the first quarter of 2008, groceries in the sample group are up 9 percent from the same period a year ago. More Relevant Reading at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/22/2009) - Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released March 2009 local unemployment rates for Wisconsin cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. Unemployment increased in 12 metro areas during March. On the other hand, when you take a look at counties, unemployment decreased in 64 of 72 Wisconsin counties. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/18/2009) - The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is cautioning moving too swiftly on a proposed rule designed to make processing meat safer that may increase costs and lessen profits for farmers. More time is needed to consider the unintended consequences to the Wisconsin cattle industry as a result of the proposed federal rule, says the largest farm organization in the state. More on this story is available inside the online pages of WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/06/2009) - Ford Motor Company announced today the successful completion of debt restructuring initiatives that will reduce the Automotive debt by $9.9 billion from $25.8 billion at December 31, 2008, and lower the annual cash interest expense by more than $500 million based on current interest rates. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/03/2009) - Chrysler LLC has reported March U.S. total sales of 101,001 units, which is the first time since Sept. 2008 that the Company has surpassed 100,000 units, representing a 39 percent decrease versus 2008. Chrysler retail market share increased to an estimated 10.0 percent versus 9.9 percent in March 2008. Read more details at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/30/2009) - General Motors is looking at today's announcement by President Obama as the start of a new era for the U.S. auto industry, and a defining moment in the history of General Motors. The U.S. Treasury will provide working financing capital for GM for 60 days while GM completes a more accelerated and aggressive restructuring to put the company on sound long-term financial footing. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/25/2009) - State Representative Jason M. Fields (D-Milwaukee) today announced he will introduce legislation that requires creditors to take reasonable steps and make good faith efforts to avoid foreclosure. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/26/2009) - United States Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) is commending President Barack Obama for presenting a budget to Congress that represents an honest assessment of the current financial situation. Wisconsin's United States Senator Russ Feingold, a member of the Senate Budget Committee agrees. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/29/08) - In 2008, Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s top accomplishments included efforts to help Wisconsin servicemembers and veterans and to protect the Great Lakes. Feingold continued support for men and women in uniform with efforts to help ease the tremendous burden they and their families face. In October the President signed into law legislation authored by Feingold to allow servicemembers to suspend cell phone contracts without charge when deployed. Feingold also led the Wisconsin delegation in calling for the establishment of new Vet Centers in Wisconsin, and more. Read about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/16/08) - A frigid forecast and news of a dog left overnight frozen to a sidewalk in Sheboygan are prompting Wisconsin's state humane officer to remind people that animals need extra care in winter. An animal losing its life is not the only possible consequence when temperatures drop bigtime. A Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection spokesperson warns that animals can suffer from hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries, and harsh conditions can weaken their immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to illness. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/13/08) - General Motors is making several adjustments to 2009 production of a large number of GM vehicles even though GM's official statement is that they are encouraged by the White House's apparent willingness to consider other options to help the auto industry now that the U.S. Senate has turned down the House's recommendation to issue a loan to the Big 3 automakers. GM announced a significant reduction of planned production because of a major slump in industry sales, which were down 36 percent overall in November, but 41 percent off the mark for GM products. See more on this at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/10/08) - Ozaukee County is the healthiest county in the state, according to the newly released 2008 Wisconsin County Health Rankings. The report is the sixth annual health check-up of the 72 counties and the City of Milwaukee, developed by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The 2008 report brings together over 30 measures of health to summarize the overall health of each county in Wisconsin. The County of Milwaukee, Marquette County, City of Milwaukee, and Menominee County are at the bottom of the list. See WisconsinReport.com for more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (11/21/08) - What happens in the automotive industry affects the people of the United States far beyond the immediate employee roster in the U.S. automobile factories and auxiliary industries. It could potentially affect everyone in the country. Estimates indicate that if allowed to happen, the collapse of the U.S.-based auto industry wouldn't just impact the nearly 355,000 Americans directly employed by the Big Three. There is the eventual potential that around 3 Million jobs, and possibly more, in all parts of the USA, in many different types of occupations, could ultimately be lost. See more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/09/08) - The John McCain - Sarah Palin campaign tactics have become rougher and rawer than previously as the 2008 Presidential Campaign election date gets closer. The inaccuracies, and, often misleading information on the political stump, in advertising, and in interviews on radio and television by the Republican candidates and their surrogates is keeping the Barack Obama camp busy. Some political commentators believe McCain is ramping up the desperate attack because his people see the possibility of the Obama - Biden ticket winning the White House in November. Despite the McCain muckattack, the polls show Obama leading in many states. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/08/08) - Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke is calling last night's Presidential Debate Barack Obama’s second straight debate victory. Wineke says John McCain was unable to articulate a new direction for the country beyond what Wineke calls the failed, recycled policies of George Bush. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow are spinning the second Presidential Debate from the Republican point of view. Farrow and Walker saw McCain making several points and coming out ahead of Obama in the Nashville debate. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/30/08) - The Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) CEO is weighing in on the failure by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, and one of Wisconsin's U.S. Senators has some suggestions on how to make the Bailout Better. Wisconsin Bankers Association President Kurt Bauer warns the crisis won't get better by doing nothing. Senator Russ Feingold expects the so-called Bailout to see another round of voting by Congress, which creates another opportunity to address what he calls major flaws in the proposal. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/29/08) - Another big name bank has been gobbled up by a bigger name financial system, as the United States Congress debates a measure that is aimed at relieving the pressure the financial sector is experiencing. Wachovia today announced intentions to sell its retail bank, corporate and investment bank and wealth management businesses to Citigroup. Wachovia Corporation will remain a public company with two main operating subsidiaries: Wachovia Securities, the nation's third largest brokerage firm, and Evergreen Asset Management, a leading provider of asset management services. More on this story is online at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/29/08) - The United States Congress failed to pass the 700 Billion Dollar Solution they have been working on over the weekend and debating today. Despite the apparent urgency of the financial crisis, H.R 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, failed on the House floor by a vote of 205 - 228. Several Wisconsin members of the House of Representatives voiced dissapproval of the so-called Bailout. Some others were dismayed that the attempt to find a solution that the majority could agree on just wasn't possible. The Stock Market reacted in dissappointment. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/27/08) - There are mixed reactions to last night's first United States Presidential Debate between the two major party candidates running to be the next Commander In Chief of the Economy as well as Commander In Chief of the Military. McCain supporters say Arizona Senator John McCain won, while Illinois Senator Barack Obama supporters say Obama came out on top. And, Depending on which tv/radio talker you listen to after the debates, you have your choice of, it was a draw, or, Obama proved he was ready to take control of the military and the economy, or, McCain's strategy seemed to be to try his best to look stern and to not look at his opponent, and so on. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/25/08) - The Republican and Democrat running against each other for President of the United States have decided to lend their input and guidance in the current national economy emergency Congress is wrestling with. Yesterday, U.S. Senators John McCain (R) and Barack Obama (D) issued a joint statement that pointed out that it's important for both parties to come together to solve the problem. Obama and McCain will both be meeting with President George W. Bush and leaders of Congress today in hopes of making a difference in the so-called 700 Billion Dollar Solution to save homes, jobs, and the ecomomy proponents say are at stake. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/23/08) - Probable voters in four Battleground States are looking at the Barack Obama - Joe Biden ticket as the one that is more likely to bring about Change. By 19 - 24 point margins, voters in Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota say Democrat Barack Obama, not Republican John McCain, is the candidate of change. That poll result lifts Senator Obama into the lead in these battleground states, according to four simultaneous Quinnipiac University polls of likely voters, conducted in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and WashingtonPost.com More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (09/01/08) - The 2008 Report of the Democratic Platform Committee suggests that Democrats want to make the United States Government and the country less partisan than it has been for decades. The Preamble to the Platform, states that it's time to reach out to Republicans, Independents, and all Americans who hunger for a new direction, and a reason to hope. The Platform indicates Democrats not only want to undo the damage they perceive that the Bush Administration has done, they want to find and enact the ideas that are right for the country and it's citizens. Read the Preamble at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/29/08) - Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama officially accepted his party's nomination last night, during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. During his acceptance speech Obama made the case for why America cannot afford four more years of what many believe are the failed policies of the George W. Bush Administration. Obama laid out his vision to bring about fundamental change at home and abroad. He reminded the country about the extraordinary promise of America at its best and challenged his supporters to continue to fight for that promise by marching ahead and never looking back. Read Obama's acceptance speech at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/28/08) - Former President Bill Clinton, 2004 Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry, and 2008 Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden, all say that Barack Obama is Ready to be President. President Bill Clinton trumpeted the idea that when he first ran for the White House job, Republicans then campaigned against him with the idea that he had no experience and was not ready, and, now they are trying to use that tactic against Obama. President Clinton said they were wrong then, and they are wrong now. More on yesterdays (Thursday, August 27th, 2008) speakers at the convention at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/27/08) - Last night the candidate who came in second in the long primary campaign to determine who would be the Democrats presidential candidate on the November 2008 ballot urged her 18 Million primary voters to switch their allegience to Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton told delegates at the Democrats National Convention in Denver, Colorado that her delegates and supporters and Obama's delegates and supporters must unite as a single party with a single purpose. Hillary said it's time to take back the country and no one should sit by the sidelines, because it will take everyone and every vote to make sure it happens. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/26/08) - Contrary to what some radio and tv talkers have been saying, the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver set the stage for a robust way to educate people about who Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are, and, what the Democrats stand for. Former Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Jim Leach endorsed Obama for President because the time is right to unite the country, not to be tied up in the partisan politics Congress and the White House has been playing for too long. There was also a tribute to and speech by U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, and the revelation by Michelle Obama that the Obamas are just regular folks like us, who want to do the country proud. More at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/11/08) - With just two weeks to go before the Democratic National Convention officially kicks off, the Wisconsin delegation is fired up and ready to go to Denver, according to Democratic Party Wisconsin (DPW) Chair Joe Wineke. The Wisconsin delegation will consist of 92 delegates and 12 alternates. Wineke says Wisconsin will be one of the top represented states at the Democratic National Convention August 25th thru the 28th. To see who is going, learn more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/06/08) - Governor Jim Doyle has announced $983,000 in grants for the Wisconsin Grazing Lands and Conservation Initiative, which protects the land and water of the state through education, technical planning assistance, and research for dairy and livestock farmers. Grazing is a low-cost, environmentally-friendly method of farming that moves animals to a fresh pasture on a regular basis while resting unused pastures so the plants can regrow before being regrazed. To learn more, go to WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/04/08) - Speaking in Michigan today, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called the upcoming November election possibly the most important election of a lifetime. Obama suggested that the USA's economy, security, and the future of the planet will depend on the choices made when people vote in November, and the choices made over the next few years will shape the next decade and perhaps the entire century. The U.S. Senator from Illinois said all of the major challenges will hinge on what is done about our addiction to oil. The rest of Obama's words can be found at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/18/08) - Visitors to the 2008 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days not only saw new machinery in action, some even had a chance to try it out for themselves. The state’s largest outdoor ag expo, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days was held July 15-17 at Country Aire Farms, south of Greenleaf in Brown County. Founded in 1954, the three day show travels to a different Wisconsin county each year. This year Field demonstrations took place on 390 acres of land that Budd and Ione Gerrits and their family provided for the popular show feature. Read more about it at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/15/08) - General Motors Corporation has announced it is taking further steps to adapt its business to rapidly changing market conditions, marked by the weak U.S. economy, record high fuel prices, shifts in consumer vehicle preferences, and the lowest U.S. industry sales volumes in a decade. GM had a record of being Number One in Sales for 76 consecutive years, but that's not so easy to do with the current competitive nature of the auto industry. By changing directions, the company hopes to change the future. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (07/10/08) - Continuing high costs for energy along with supply and demand pressures are behind this quarter’s increase measured in the Market Basket survey conducted by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Wisconsin’s largest farm organization tracks the retail price of 20-food items in 26 communities. The Market Basket survey found the average cost of those 20-items in the second quarter of 2008 was 55 dollars and 57 cents, 2.30 more than the overall average of 53.27 in the first quarter of 2008. More details are online at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/30/08) - Polls are in huge abundance during this presidential election year in the United States, and, they vary from week to week. However, a Wall Street Journal - Washington Post - Quinnepiac University poll deserves mentioning. It shows that Democrat Barack Obama is out in front of Republican John McCain by a hefty margin in Wisconsin, and elsewhere. The poll results, released late last week, was taken before Hillary Clinton gave her speech at Unity, New Hampshire. Read more at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/27/08) - Democratic Presidential Primary rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made a show of unity today (Friday, June 27th) in a community aptly named Unity, New Hampshire. It was the first joint public appearance since what some observers called a divisive Democratic primary race ended. The campaign speeches in Unity was the start of Hillary's assurance she will work toward Obama becoming the next president of the United States, even though for awhile it seemed to some, she might hold a grudge. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/25/08) - According to the latest figures available, Wisconsin employment is still holding it's own and in some areas is higher than it was. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released the May breakdown of unemployment rates that show declines in the majority of Wisconsin's counties accompanied by job gains across all major metro areas. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/24/08) - Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold has announced his endorsement and support for Stan Gruszynski in his bid to represent the people of the 36th Assembly district. Gruszynski is stressing the need for northeast Wisconsin to have a greater voice and more influence in the decision-making process in Madison. Gruszynski is re-entering state politics after leaving the Assembly several years ago when he represented Portage County. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/20/08) - Wisconsin Farm Bureau leaders were in Washington D.C. this week (June 14-18) to lobby lawmakers on pressing issues facing agriculture and give first-hand accounts of flood damage. Immigration, trade agreements, ag exports, and oil drilling inside the USA and offshore, were all hot topics during the visit, which included a tour of the White House. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/19/08) - Recent floods have hit more than corn and soybeans. Rains have hit hard Wisconsin's direct marketing vegetable growers, those selling at farmers markets, local restaurants and retailers, and CSA's. Growers who market to local food consumers report flooded fields and potential losses. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection urges consumers to buy locally. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/16/08) - A former Stevens Point, Wisconsin area State Assembly Representative is readying himself to re-enter the world of Republican vs. Democrat in Madison. Stan Gruszynski is now a resident of Marinette County and intends to seek the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin Assembly District 36. Prior to moving back to Eastern Wisconsin he represented the 71st Assembly District in Central Wisconsin. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/13/08) - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and State Patrol have closed I-39 northbound, I-90/94 westbound at US 151 (Exit 135 - Madison) due to rising water at I-90/94 westbound at the Baraboo River (WIS 33). Motorists are strongly advised to not travel in the south central part of Wisconsin due to many flooded state and local highways. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/11/08) - The latest Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll shows that Barack Obama is way ahead of John McCain in New York. Based on that, Obama could easily count New York in the win column in November. McCain is 14 percentage points behind Obama, according to the poll of nearly 14 hundred New York State residents. The margin of error is 2.6 percentage points. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/10/08) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to conduct a comprehensive damage assessment from this past weekend’s severe weather and flooding. Governor Doyle is expected to seek a Federal Disaster Declaration following the FEMA assessment. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/09/08) - This isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company, Hillary Clinton said as she started the weekend speech that would signify the end of her try for the presidency. Saturday, June 7th New York U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton officially suspended her presidential primary campaign and asked her 18 Million supporters to get behind Barack Obama. Read Hillary's speech at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/23/08) - The Wisconsin Farmers Union celebrated as word came down that the U.S. Senate had voted to override the president's veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 by a vote of 82-13. This came after word that the U.S. House of Representatives vote (316-108) to override the veto may have been invalid due to an inadvertent clerical error, leaving one of the 15 titles incomplete. The error may have caused further delay in passing the bill due to the upcoming holiday weekend. Now Congress plans to vote on the omitted title after its recess. Senator Herb Kohl likes some of the bill. Representative Ron Kind sees room for improvement. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/05/08) - Wisconsin Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass says the fourth Unclaimed Property Auction on eBay brought in over 10-thousand dollars from bids submitted from several areas of the United States. The auction concluded on Thursday at 6:00 pm with bids from locations in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland. All of the 37 items up for bid sold totaling $10,119.02. The highest bid item was for a diamond engagement ring which sold for $4,383.33. By law the Unclaimed Property found in safe deposit boxes are turned over to the State Treasurer, then auctioned if they are not claimed. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (05/02/08) - The University of Wisconsin - Madison Formula SAE team raced to first place at the inaugural Virginia International Raceway competition April 23-26. This was the first Formula SAE event to incorporate a road course that included significant elevation changes. The UW-Madison team, which received funding from the United Wisconsin Grain Producers, piloted its one-third-scale Indy-style car to victory while awing the spectators with unmatchable lap times. The car was the only vehicle of 43 at the competition to run on E85 fuel. The UW - Madison formula car, concrete canoe, and steel bridge teams also excelled recently. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/18/08) - Wisconsin Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass says the fourth Unclaimed Property Auction will be held on Ebay starting Monday, April 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm CST. 37 items are set to be auctioned off over the course of ten days. There are 36 lots of women’s jewelry which include individual pieces, matching sets and collections. Under Wisconsin Statute, after 5 years of inactivity, Wisconsin financial institutions are mandated to turn over all the contents of safe deposit boxes to the State Treasurer’s office for safekeeping. The Treasurer’s Office has 3 years to try and find the owner, then puts the items up for auction. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/16/08) - Voters at this week’s Wisconsin Conservation Congress spring hearings approved the position of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau on all three questions of interest to farmers. The questions involved Deer Baiting and Feeding, Managed Forest Law Change, and Wolf Management. Citizens who attended April 14th hearings throughout the state supported the creation of a hunting season for wolves, banning deer baiting and feeding, and were against a proposal involving Managed Forest Land contracts that would essentially make it mandatory to allow public access to private lands. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/09/08) - Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama is catching up with New York U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary and now trails 50 - 44 percent among likely primary voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released April 8th. This compares to a 50 - 41 percent Sen. Clinton lead in an April 2nd poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University. Comparing the polls released a week apart, Obama is gaining in most demographic categories in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Democratic Primary will be held April 22nd. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/08/08) - If you'e one of those people who had a hard time paying their utility bills during the cold days of winter, it's time to catch up. Yes, tax deadline time is bringing with it the end of the Wisconsin Utility Bills Moratorium for this heating season. As of April 1, 2008, approximately 65,000 Wisconsin Power and Light customers are in arrears, up slightly from last year. Customers who weren't able to pay anything at all during the winter months owe 5.2 million dollars. Wisconsin Power and Light is giving customers until April 15th to bring accounts up to date. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (04/05/08) - State health officials are reminding consumers to cook raw poultry to safe internal temperatures before eating. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services has issued a public health alert due to illnesses from Salmonella associated with frozen, stuffed raw chicken products that may be contaminated with salmonella. There have been no confirmed illnesses related to these products in Wisconsin. Products linked to the illnesses were produced by Serenade Foods, a Milford, Indiana establishment. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/29/08) - Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton announced Clean Energy Wisconsin, the Doyle Administration’s strategy to strengthen Wisconsin’s energy future, in a visit to the Mid-State Technical College campus in Wisconsin Rapids. The comprehensive plan moves Wisconsin forward by promoting renewable energy, creating new jobs, increasing energy security and efficiency, and improving the environment. Governor James Doyle and Lt. Governor Lawton have been working to make Wisconsin a leader in renewable energy since the beginning of their terms in office. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/27/08) - Senator Barack Obama has called for immediate relief for homeowners hit by the housing crisis, modernization of our regulatory framework, and an additional $30 billion stimulus package to jumpstart the economy and help protect families from the economic slowdown. In a speech given at Cooper Union in New York, Obama stressed the importance of pushing back on the special interests and honoring our obligation to one another, and that doing so is not just a matter of altruism but a matter of self-interest. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/26/08) - Starting this July all public workplaces in Eau Claire, including bars will be smoke free. The Eau Claire City Council voted 7 to 4 Tuesday in favor of an ordinance ending cigarette smoking in all public workplaces. The vote comes after a public hearing where council members listened to testimony about the health dangers of secondhand smoke including increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory problems. Thirty-three Wisconsin communities have now passed some kind of smoke free ordinance. WisconsinReport.com has more on this story. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/25/08) - Nearly five people die each week in Wisconsin because they don’t have health insurance, says a new report by Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers. The Families USA report, the first-ever state-specific report of this type, is based on a ground-breaking national study by the Institute of Medicine, which in 2002 forged the direct link between a lack of health coverage and deaths from health-related causes. The new report released today by one of Citizen Action’s national partners, Families USA, shows that the health care crisis is a life and death issue. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/15/08) - A Wisconsin Congressional Representative from the Northeastern part of the state was in Philedelphia yesterday (March 14, 2008) to tell medical personnel that Constitutional rights should apply to health care. Congressman Steve Kagen, who is also a doctor, declared that to guarantee access to affordable care, it's important to end discrimination in health insurance. Kagen spoke at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) in Philadelphia, PA. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Kagen founded the Kagen Allergy Clinics in Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/12/08) - Wisconsin's Deteriorated Urban Roads Cost State Drivers $1.2 Billion Annually in Extra Vehicle Operating Costs. Wisconsin's major urban roadways are deteriorating at a time when transportation funding in the state is inadequate to keep pace with needed repairs, and the cost of those repairs is rapidly increasing. This is according to a new national report released by TRIP, a national transportation research group. The TRIP report evaluated pavement conditions on state and local major urban roadways and calculated the extra vehicle operating cost (VOC) to motorists of driving on roads in poor condition. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/05/08) - The dust is settling on the March 4th presidential primaries. John McCain has now won enough delegates to become the Republican candidate in the November election, and, Mike Huckabee has bowed out of the Republican primary race graciously. On the Democrats side, the excitement and uncertainty continues. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in Rhode Island, Ohio and Texas, while Barack Obama won Vermont. But, Obama is still ahead of Hillary Clinton in delegates acquired to date, including the second place finishes in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island. So the close battle between Hillary and Barack goes on. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (03/03/08) - Long before there was a United States, town government was active in America. By the early 1800s, New Englanders had brought it to Wisconsin. Today, Wisconsin is one of only 14 states outside New England with town government, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), a nonprofit public-policy research organization dedicated to citizen education. According to the WISTAX report, Wisconsin’s 1,259 towns (as of January 2007) cover approximately 94 percent of the state’s 54,310 square miles and are home to 30 percent of our population. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/28/08) - State Assembly Democrats yesterday rallied in support of an amendment written by Senator Spencer Coggs to divest Wisconsin from companies doing business with Sudan’s government. The argument for the amendment to Assembly Bill 623 points out that companies such as PetroChina give Sudan’s government ready access to the funds they need to continue committing unspeakable atrocities in Darfur. The Assembly Bill seeks to modernize the investment standards of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/27/08) - The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) has released its review of the bridge inspection program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). Democratic State Senator Jim Sullivan of Wauwatosa and Republican Assembly Representative Suzanne Jeskewitz of Menomonee Falls authorized the review after conducting a public hearing on bridge safety in September 2007. Sullivan and Jeskewitz are co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC). The report indicates the condition of state-owned bridges have improved. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/25/08) - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is continuing his fight to ensure family farmers and the self-employed remain eligible for the protections they deserve. Feingold is urging members of the Farm Bill conference committee to maintain in the final bill a provision similar to one he proposed to update the tax code so farmers and other self-employed individuals can remain eligible for Social Security and disability benefits. Feingold says this will help farmers who experience bad weather affecting farm income. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/22/08) - More than 1.5 million Wisconsin voters participated in Tuesday’s Presidential Preference Primary Election. That is about 37 percent of all eligible voters in the state. It is officially the largest Wisconsin presidential primary turnout in 20 years. Director of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board indicates, even though the number of voters was so large, the primary was carried out with relatively few problems across the state. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/19/08) - A Wisconsin legislative bill to add cellular phones to the highly popular Wisconsin “Do Not Call” list passed another hurdle today with positive action from the State Senate. Senate Bill 99 from Senator Jon Erpenbach does not cost taxpayers a dime, since Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection creates and maintains the list and charges fees to telemarketing companies to pay for the list. The Bill not only adds cell phones to the Do Not Call List, it also increases penalties, and has provisions for businesses. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/16/08) - Democratic U.S. Congressional Representative Ron Kind of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, says the farm bill being discussed in committee needs more work to make it work for family farmers and taxpayers. Kind says, among other things, what he calls, the proposal’s budget gimmick, phases out direct payments in the ninth year, only to see them reappear again in the tenth. He calls that a sham. Kind also says he's looking forward to working with his Ways and Means colleagues to prevent new taxes for farm programs. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/15/08) - Polls show the gap between likely Wisconsin Presidential Democratic Party Primary candidate supporters is relatively small. That means that the Barack Obama campaign and Hillary Clinton campaign are both encouraging and seeking endorsements from everywhere, including the State of Wisconsin where primary voting takes place Tuesday, February 19th. In yet another sign of the growing support Senator Clinton continues to receive in all corners of the Badger State, the Wisconsin for Hillary campaign today announced the names of 23 new endorsers. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/12/08) - After a rally at the Kohl Center in Madison tonight, Democratic Presidential Primary Candidate Barack Obama is sceduled to continue campaigning in Wisconsin, leading up to the Wisconsin Primary, February 19th. Tomorrow, Senator Obama will take his Yes We Can - Change We Can Believe In message to Janesville, Waukesha and Racine, according to the Obama for President campaign. Unofficial national delegate tallies to date show Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton, 958 to 904, with Obama expected to gain more in projected primary wins today in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/12/08) - The Barack Obama for President Campaign will be launching a massive text message volunteer recruitment drive at tonight’s rally at the Kohl Center. The drive will be unprecedented in Wisconsin political history and is expected to yield thousands of volunteer hours to help the Obama campaign organize for the critical February 19th Wisconsin primary. Governor Jim Doyle says tonight's Obama event in Madison will be a chance to get involved in the Obama movement to change America. Doors at the Kohl Center will open at 6:00 PM tonight. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/12/08) - The latest word from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is that Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are both set to headline the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Founders Day Gala on Saturday, February 16 at the Midwest Center in Milwaukee. Earlier reports had indicated that the Obama campaign had not answered the invitation as early as the Hillary Clinton for President people had. The DPW now says that three days before Wisconsin’s primary, both presidential candidates will join Wisconsin Democratic elected officials and Democrats from around the state for the annual event. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/11/08) - As we move closer to the February 19th Wisconsin Presidential Primary, the campaigns are starting to beef up their attention on voters in the state. Both of the Democratic frontrunner campaigns have announced movement in that direction. The Hillary Clinton campaign says they are sending Hillary's daughter Chelsea into Wisconsin today and tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 12th), while the Barack Obama campaign says Obama will make a personal appearance in Madison tomorrow night (Feb 12th). WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/07/08) - State legislators from all corners of Wisconsin are rallying around Senator Barack Obama in the run up to Wisconsin’s presidential primary election on Tuesday, February 19th. Building on the growing momentum of the campaign and yesterday’s launch of a significant statewide TV and radio campaign in the state, 16 Wisconsin legislators have announced their endorsement of Senator Obama. The latest to join Governor Jim Doyle and others in the state who are endorsing Obama for President represent northern, southern, eastern and western areas of Wisconsin. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/07/08) - Governor Mitt Romney announced today that he is suspending his presidential campaign for the sake of Republican unity and the future of our country. He took the opportunity to announce that fact while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). During his comments he indicated that he feels Republicans must stand united to prevent Senators Clinton and Obama from taking the White House in the 2008 November General Election. Romney says a nation at war, facing uncertain economic times, cannot afford what he calls, the Democrats agenda for retreat and economic slowdown. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/06/08) - Barack Obama is the leader over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic delegate count following the Super Tuesday primaries yesterday. Preliminary figures indicate Obama has a total of 838 delegates, including his performances in the early primaries and caucuses prior to Super Tuesday. Hillary Clinton now has 834. On the Republican side, John McCain now has an estimated 720 delegates, Mitt Romney has 256, Mike Huckabee has 194, and Ron Paul has 14. The next primary contests in the process take place this Saturday, February 9th, on the way to the totals needed in the respective parties to be each party's ultimate candidate. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/28/08) - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is leading an effort to include an increase in Food Stamp benefits in the economic stimulus package currently being worked on by Congress. In a letter to Senate leadership, Feingold and a bipartisan group of eighteen of his Senate colleagues asked that they reconsider the omission of the Food Stamp benefit increase from the package, in light of the fact that experts say it could help stimulate the economy as well as help low-income Americans. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/28/08) - Veteran Washington D.C. politician, U.S. Senator and Democratic leader, and famous Kennedy family member, Ted Kennedy, said today that he believes Barack Obama is the future of the party and the United States today. Senator Kennedy said it is time for a new generation of leadership and Obama is the person to give that leadership. He asked everyone to join the wave of change moving across America by choosing Obama during the presidential primary season the country is in the midst of now. Kennedy says Obama is the only Democratic candidate that can unite voters in the General Election this coming November. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/24/08) - In his sixth State of the State Address, Governor Jim Doyle unveiled bold plans to grow Wisconsin by fostering innovation, seizing renewable energy opportunities, making health care more affordable and investing in education. The Governor called on lawmakers to work together and invest in long-term economic growth in the midst of a plummeting global market. Governor Doyle said America's economy is in deep turmoil and this will be a year of great challenge for everyone, including the people of Wisconsin and the government. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/24/08) - State Senator Kathleen Vinehout, who serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, announced her support for a Cheese Cooperative Tax Credit brought forward by Governor Doyle in his State of the State address Wednesday evening. Senator Vinehout points out that in Wisconsin we’re known as Cheese Heads but this may not be the case if the government fails to give Wisconsin cheese co-ops the tools to stay on top of the competition. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/16/08) - Republican State Senator Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls applauded a sweeping 94-1 bipartisan vote in the State Assembly that will enable Wisconsin voters to ban the so - called Frankenstein Veto this April. The Frankenstein Veto was named after specific partial vetoes in which Governor Doyle cobbled together unrelated words amongst many other sentences to create altogether new sentences and new laws without legislative approval. Harsdorf says no governor should have the power to change the intent of legislators. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/11/08) - One of the nation's largest banks is coming to the aid of a mortgage firm that has made it possible for many people in Wisconsin and other states to live the American Dream. Bank of America Corporation has announced a definitive agreement to purchase Countrywide Financial Corp. in an all-stock transaction worth approximately $4 billion. The agreement has been approved by Bank of America's board of directors and Countrywide's board of directors and is subject to approval by Countrywide's shareholders and customary regulatory approvals. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/11/08) - The fastest-growing union is calling the combination of the United States largest mortgage lender with the largest bank when both institutions are facing mounting losses and potentially destabilizing risks bad for consumers, bad for business, and bad for America. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is cautioning against uncritical and short-sighted support for Bank of America's attempt to acquire troubled mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corporation. An official statement from the union suggests this may not be the way to save Countrywide from bankruptcy. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/07/08) - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle is endorsing Barack Obama for President, citing his ability to build a coalition of Democrats, independents, and Republicans that will win in November. Governor Doyle believes a President Obama would deal with big challenges like delivering affordable health care for all Americans, expanding access to education, and bringing fiscal responsibility to Washington. Doyle says he is impressed by the leadership qualities Obama has shown during 20 years in public service, which Doyle feels are essential for an effective executive. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/04/08) - Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama has accomplished what pundits said, perhaps, was impossible. Obama, a relative newcomer to national politics, won the first primary challenge of the 2008 Presidential season over the U.S Senator from New York and former first lady, Hillary Clinton. At the start of the campaign, Democrat Hillary Clinton was the favorite to go all the way and win her party's top spot on the November 2008 presidential ballot. However, it seems the road will be rockier than Hillary hoped, now that Obama has taken the Iowa Democrats caucus system by storm. When it was over, Obama was first, John Edwards second, with Hillary slightly behind Edwards in third place. Read the Iowa caucus night Barack Obama victory speech at WisconsinReport.com. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (01/03/08) - The most amazing man of his times, former Wisconsin Governor Lee Sherman Dreyfus passed away yesterday. Dreyfus was a Republican, but, it was amazingly difficult not to feel that some part of him was also a Democrat, and, perhaps, an Independent. Likely, at heart, he was all three. The long Dreyfus career in the public eye included several years as Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. He seldom was seen without his trademark red vest peeking out of his neat suit coat, and, his smile was as big as his warm heart. A number of Wisconsin dignitaries are proclaiming him much missed. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/27/07) - Wisconsin’s established small businesses appear to have maintained their stability with most showing modest growth in 2007, according to Wisconsin Independent Businesses (WIB). WIB has been providing government relations and other business services to the state’s independently-owned businesses and farms for 30+ years. WIB executive director Wayne Corey says there wasn't a growth explosion, but, there weren't significiant setbacks. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/17/07) - The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has announced that 27 field offices around the state will be closed as part of a consolidation into seven regional offices. When the restructuring of the operations of the agency is finished there will be regional offices located in Appleton-Green Bay, Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and Chicago. These regional offices are expected to continue providing comprehensive services to taxpayers. The regional system will rely heavily on new technology. The plan is designed to slim down the agency budget. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/17/07) - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will hold animal health public hearings January 7th through the 10th. The hearings will be in regard to proposals that would streamline, clarify, and update Wisconsin's animal health regulations. The department proposals have a goal of protecting the state's livestock industry by better prevention and control of animal disease. The hearings will be held in Appleton, Madison and Eau Claire. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/15/07) - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) voted in favor of the Senate Farm Bill, which included several provisions Feingold authored to help Wisconsin farmers. However, he expressed disappointment with the defeat of several common-sense reforms despite bipartisan support. Among the measures Feingold successfully had included or supported in the bill were restoration of the MILC program, protection for Wisconsin’s dairy farmers through better price reporting and USDA oversight, and a balanced milk marketing order review commission. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/15/07) - The United States Senate passed a farm bill and an energy bill this week. The Farm Bill includes programs instrumental in helping Wisconsin family farms continue to grow and thrive. The energy bill includes an expanded Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), which has long been supported and promoted by Wisconsin Farmers Union and its members.The farm bill passed on a vote of 79 to 14, while the energy bill passed on a vote of 86 to 8. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) voted in favor of both pieces of legislation. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/13/07) - U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have been attempting to add an amendment to the farm bill, now before the Senate, that would put a hard cap on federal farm program payments and ensure that only farmers get payments. Senator Grassley says the ammendment would help allow young people to get into farming and lessen the dependence of federal subsidies, and, begin to restore public respectability for the federal farm program by targeting this assistance to those who need it. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/5/07) - Members attending the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s 88th Annual Meeting in Middleton established a number of policy directives for the organization. Key resolutions that were adopted included making changes to the state’s Producer Security Program, saving farmland through increased housing densities, increasing the level of funding for town roads, following the lead of the federal government on animal identification, and continued strong support of the use value taxation program. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCONSINREPORT.COM (12/3/07) - Don Imus brought his morning show back to the radio airwaves and television today after being fired by his former employers following the turmoil that erupted when he uttered a racial slur against the Rutgers womens team. The show airs live on weekdays from 5-9 am (CST) on WABC radio and is syndicated nationally. The morning show is simulcast on the RFD TV Network, and rebroadcast in the evening in primetime. RFD is also offering the show on video on demand, enabling west coast viewers and millions of fans to experience the show at their convenience. WisconsinReport.com has more. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (11/5/07) - Ag Day at the Capitol will be January 30 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. Ag Day at the Capitol is the largest gathering of farmers from across the state representing a variety of farm groups to learn more about state issues, and meet with their state representatives. More than 700 farmers attended last year’s Ag Day at the Capitol. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation said Ag Day at the Capitol will likely include discussion on protection of the Right to Farm law, health care, renewal energy and nutrient management. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (10/31/07) - The Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition (WFTC) is praising Senator John Edwards’ call to defeat the Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA) pending in Congress. Senator Edwards says the agreement does not meet his standard of putting American workers and communities first, ahead of the interests of the big multinational corporations, which he says have rigged trade policies for themselves. The organization likes the Edwards statement on the matter over that of Edwards Democratic opponent Barack Obama. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (10/16/07) - Wisconsin cheese production set a new record in 2006, producing nearly 2.5 billion pounds of cheese, accounting for 26 percent of the national cheese market. Wisconsin's growth is fueled by the increase in national demand for high-quality, specialty cheeses, and Wisconsin's powerful dairy sector. Specialty cheese production in Wisconsin grew by 26 million pounds, accounting for nearly 45 percent of the national specialty cheese market. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (10/5/07) - The Future of Farming and Rural Life in Wisconsin Project is releasing a wide-ranging report on the changing face of agriculture in Wisconsin this weekend. The report, a product of 2 ½ years of study, offers recommendations for healthy and sustainable agriculture and rural life in the state. It also shows there are now 14,000 fewer medium sized farms. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (10/1/07) - Wisconsin dairy exports reached record levels for the first six months of 2007. The increase was driven by soaring demand in Asia and Latin America. The dollar value of Wisconsin dairy exports increased from $40 million in 2006 to $76 million in 2007 – an 89 percent increase compared to the same period the year before. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM (9/27/07) - A Guernsey dairy cow named Majestic Oak Invest Sareen is the 2007 Cow of the Year, according to Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen. Nilsestuen also congratulated Jerry Lang of Marshfield, Wis., Sareen's breeder. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is taking several steps to help level the playing field for farmers in Wisconsin. As the Farm Bill debate approaches, Feingold is working for increased competition in the agriculture industry and working to prevent anti-competitive practices by large agribusinesses that harm family farmers. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM - The Dairy Business Association applauded the efforts of Dr. Steve Kagen's successful placement on the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee. A spokesperson says the first term lawmaker's post provides an excellent opportunity for Wisconsin agriculture, especially the dairy industry, to be highlighted during upcoming farm bill discussions. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM – State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) unveiled new legislation dubbed the “Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin” program at the Wisconsin Local Food Summit in Stevens Point. The statewide initiative will help support the growth of regional markets for Wisconsin’s farmers by increasing opportunities for area businesses, institutions and families to buy locally produced food. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM - The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President is looking forward to what he calls some leadership needs and leadership opportunities resulting from the outcome of the 2006 November General Election. Bill Bruins says the legislature now has some big shoes to fill. (read more)...
WISCREPORT.COM - Do you have what it takes to be Wisconsin's 60th Alice in Dairyland? Do you enjoy delivering speeches, meeting people, traveling, and working with school children? If so, you may want to consider applying to become Wisconsin's next agricultural ambassador. (read more)...
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